Brush



July 18, 1933. NN 1,919,010

BRUSH Filed July 27. 1931 Patented July 18, 1933 JAMES CONNOR, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO BRUSH Application filed July 2?,

This invention relates to brushes and is particularly concerned with a method of bristle setting by means of which the tufts of bristles are firmly secured to the brush back. As applied to wooden brushes, the practice has been to insert staples that can be driven into the wood across the folded tufts. Such method however, is impractical for metallic brushes, and so one method of anchoring the tufts has consisted in extending the tuft socket through the back and then passing awire through the loop of the tuft and fastening it to the back of the brush. This method is objectionable, for the back of the brush presents an unsightly appearan e, and is diflicult to keep clean. Furthen more, it is expensive, for each tuft must be inserted manually into place while the wire must be securely anchored at the end ofeach drawing operation. Another method which has been used consists in driving a plug into the socket and crosswise of the tuft, and then swaging the wall of the socket to hold the plug and tuft in place. This last named method is satisfactory for metallic brushes, which are made of comparatively soft metal but is objectionable for brushes that are made of relatively hard metal, for in such cases the metal is apt to be cracked by the swaging operation.

The principal object of the present invention therefore, is to provide a. method which will effectively anchor the tufts in a metallic brush without the necessity for drilling or casting holes entirely through the back, and which is well adapted for use in connection with metallic brushes regardless of the relative degree of hardness thereof.

In this connection, my invention contemplates the provision of a method by means of which the tufts may be effectively held within their sockets and fastened in-a relatively inexpensive manner, without necessitating any substantial modification in the present form of brush making equipment.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brush embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tuft at the startof the folding operation; Figs. 3 and 4. are sectional views 1931. Serial No. 553,252.

illustrating further steps in the tufting Op 1 eration; Figs. 5 and6 are views on an enlarged scale showing modified forms of staple. construction; andFig. 7 is a sectional View showing a modified form of socketarrangement. r I 1 My invention is concerned with a method of attaching a tuft to a metallic brush without necessitating any extensive changes in V the brush making machinery. To. this end 555 I prefer to-anchor the tufts the use of. stapling machineryv which heretofore has been used in the manufacture of wooden brushes. Accordingly in the drawing 10 represents a metallic brush back, and 11 tufts C5 which are folded into sockets 12. These sockets extend only partially in the back and are sufiiciently large to make a close fitting engagement with the outer part of the tuft when it is folded and'locked therein; 1

To anchorthe tufts, l preferto utilize a staple which extends across the fold of the; tuft and has legs 16 which extend a shortdis tance beyond the t ft. Such extended por tions are then adapted to-project into areduced portion 17 of the socket. The portion 17 is sufficiently small that the legs have a close fitting engagement with the wall thereof, wherefore the staple is held in tight fric- 1 tional contact with the walls of the socket. Such degree offrictional adhesion may be intensified by upsetting the ends of the staple, as-is shown at 20 in Fig. 5, or by knurling the legs of the staple, as is shown at 21 in Fig. 6. Furthermore, the introductionof the staple into the smaller socket may be aided by tapering the wall between the two socket portions, as is indicated at 22.

My invention is well adapted for use with the usual brushstapling machinery, and so in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 I have merely'indicated apunch 25, which exerts pressure downwardly upon the staple and simultaneously foldsthe tuft while forcing the staple into the socket.

In Fig. 2 the bristles which form the tuft are shown'in position upon the brush back, before the completion of the folding operation, while Figs. 2 and 3 show progressive stages of the stapling operation.

Fig. 7 illustrates amodified form of socket 0 Mew O F CE r j swaged, wherefore-the method may be used with satisfactory results on metallic brushes which are made of relatively hard metal.

Furthermore, the bristles may be effectively locked, without necessitating the formation of a cavity which extends entirely through the back. Thus the back of the brush presents a smooth uninterrupted appearance. In addition, the bristles which are disposed adja'centthe outer part of the tuft are not apt'to be compressed by the sharp edge of a socket and thereby easily broken when the brushis used.

' I claim;

1. A brush having a relatively large and a relatively small socket, said sockets being preformed in communication with each other, a tuft occupying one of said sockets and a flexible retaining member embracing the tuft and having a portion thereof occupying the other of said sockets, said last named portion being in close fitting engagement with the walls of the associated socket, whereby it is locked only by frictional contact therewith.

2. A brush having two aligned sockets preformed therein, a folded bristle tuft occupying one of the sockets, a shortlength of wire embracing the tuft adjacent the fold, and having a portion thereof occupying the other of said sockets, said portion being pressed into contact with the walls of the associated socket whereby it is locked only by' frictional contact therewith.

3. In combination a brush back having a socket opening from only one side thereof, a tuft occupying the socket, said socket having a reduced portion adjacent the inner end thereof, the axes of the reduced portion and the socket being parallel, and a member embracing the tuft and occupying the reduced portion, said member. being in close fitting contact with the walls of the reduced portion whereby it is locked only by frictional contact therewith. I V I 4. A brush back having in combination an outer large socket, an inner small socket communicating therewith, a folded tuft in the large socket, a staple extending through the folded tuft andinto the small socket, and means forlocking the tuft only by frictional contactof the staple with the small socket, said brush back being impenetrable by the staple. v

5. In combination, a brush back having a socket opening from one side thereof, a tuft occupying the socket, said socket having a reduced portion adjacent the inner endthereof,

anda len th of wire embracin the tuft the two ends of said wire occupying the reduced portion, and the ends of the wire being in close-fitting contact with the walls of the reduced portion and with each other.

6. In combination, a metallic brush back having two aligned sockets formed therein, a folded bristle tuft occupying one of the sockets, a short-length of wire embracing the tuft adjacent the fold and having a portion thereof occupying the other of said sockets, said portion being pressed into contact with the walls of the associated socket, whereby it is locked only by frictional contact therewith.

* JAMES F. CONNOR. 

